Escolar (SS 294)

Escolar (Cdr. W.J. Millican) departed Pearl Harbor
on 18 September 1944, to proceed to Midway
to top off with fuel. There she joined Croaker
and Perch and left on 23 September to
conduct a coordinated patrol (Escolar's
first patrol) in the Yellow Sea north of
30°-00'N. Commander Millican was in command of this coordinated attack group,
which was designated "Millican's Marauders."

W.J. Millican

On 30 September, when Escolar was
estimated to be about north of the Bonin Islands, the following partial
message was received from her: "This from Escolar X attacked with deck gun boat similar to ex-Italian Peter George five
OTYI--." Although
no further transmissions have ever been received by bases from Escolar, who was forced to break off the
transmission and the engagement with the gunboat at this time, the Commanding
Officer of Croaker has stated that
she suffered no damage and was in frequent communication with Perch and Croaker until 17 October 1944.

Perch reported that on 17
October she had received a message from Escolar
stating that she was in position 33°-44'N, 127°-33'E, and was heading for
Latitude 33°-44'N, Longitude 129°-06'E. Neither Perch nor Croaker could raise Escolar
by radio after this transmission was received.

Had Escolar left her area on the
scheduled date, she would have arrived at Midway about 13
November 1944.
All attempts to contact Escolar
failed and she was reported on 27 November 1944 as presumed lost. It is
assumed that she was lost about 17 October. Information supplied by the
Japanese on antisubmarine attacks gives no clue as to the cause of her loss,
but the Yellow Sea
area is thought to have been mined. A course line plotted between the two
positions given above does not cross any known Japanese mine lies, but positions
of mines laid before April 1945 are not definitely located. The known
minefields in Tsushima Strait were laid in April
1945. However, there were mines in the general area of Escolar's predicted position, and the most likely explanation for
her end at present is that she detonated a mine.